Flash-light device.



P. C. SMALLEY.

MSH LIGHT DEVICE.

APPLICATIO 'LED FEB. 13, 19I5 Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

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.UNTTED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

PAUL 0. SMALLEY, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

FLASH-LIGHT DEVICE.

Larnaca To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, PAUL C. SMALLEL a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flash- Light Devices, of which the following isaJ full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make, construct, and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to numerals of reference marked thereon, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to search lights `or flash lights, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a lens with reectorpositioning means formed on its inner face, which may consist of an annular recess or an annular projection or extension, designed to receive the circumferential edge of the reflector', thereby positioning and locating the same circumferentially free within the casing by springing the reflector into the recess or over the projection, so that no part of the reflector can touch, or through careless manipulation of the device, be made t0 touch the casing,in order to efficiently insulate one terminal of the lamp from the other', and to insulate the reflector from the casing without the use of any other insulating means.

- With search lights or flash lights of the construction heretofore common, the amount` of battery power which can be obtained, is necessarily'not great, and it often happens when devicesof this kind are used for work about automobiles, etc., and the device is not in use, it is frequently placed in a tool boX or in association with metal tools, where frequently the tools will complete the connection, o-r such connection will be completed by the metallic parts of the machine, and the energy of the battery expended uselessly, by causing' the lamp to burn for hours without the knowledge of the operator and to no useful purpose. With the construction of the lens of the present invention, this is impossible.

Another object of my invention is the construction of a lens which will enable me to use insulated tubing in the construction of the entire casing of the flash light, or in its preferred form, to make the entire casing of metal, which can be made to present a more attractive appearance, and which is p Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led February 13, 1915. Serial No. 7,919.'

rammed Dec. 2e, i916.

the rearilside of my improved lens; and Figu 3 represents a fragmentary cross-section of a modified formof my invention. p

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the above described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the said drawings, the reference character 1 indicates a metallic tubular casing containing the cylindrical batteries 2, though of course this casing may be of any convenient form, or other suitable material. 3 represents a screw-threadedclosure, having screw-threaded engagement with the casing 1,'wherein a coiled spring 4 is seated for contacting with the zinc electrode of one of the batteries.

A funnel-shaped member 5 is preferably A provided "on the other end of the casing,

here illustrated as a separate member, connected to the casing l, an annular collar 6 being preferably formed upon the casing V against which the edge of the member 5 abuts. The upper endA of the funnel-shaped member 5 is preferably screw-threaded to receive a screw-threaded annular member v7 folded or spun at 8 over the edge of the lens 9. The lens 9 may be fastened in the annular member 7 in any desired or convenient manner, the two formingV a cap which is fastened to the member 5 in any suitable manner, such as by threads upon the members 5 and 7 10 represents a reflector having a central opening into which the lamp socketf 11 of the lamp 12 is mounted by any suitable means. The base part 13 of the lamp forms one of the poles, the other pole 'being shown y at 14.'

- When mounted in the casing, one pole of the battery is connected to .the casing through the spring 4, as described, and the other pole 15 of the battery' is con-nested directly to the terminal 14 of theplamp,

leaving the circuit between the reflector 10 and the casing 1 open. I provide suitable means to close this gap in the circuit when it is desired to operate the lamp. This means is here shown as a movable member 18, which engages the casing through contact therewith, and which is slidable in said casing to engage the reflector 10, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The end 19 of the movable member 18 is turned up to form a sliding contact with the reflector, so as to insure a bright surface, due to the rubbing of the end 1,9 over the reflector 10, and thereby a good contact.

I provide suitable means for operating the member 18, which here consists of a finger piece 20. A slot 21 is formed in the casing 1, through which the finger piece is connected to the member 18 by suitable means, such as rivets 22. The finger piece 20 is insulated from the casing by a layer of thin insulatin material 23 to prevent the electric current rom reaching the finger of the operator.

In order to insulate one terminal of the lamp from the other, and to insulate the reflector from the casing, I preferably provide the lens 9 with an annular recess 16 upon its inner face, as clearly illustrated in Figs. l and of the drawings, or with an annular projection or extension 17, as clearly illustrated in the modified form shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, both the annular recess 16 and the annular projection or extension 17 being designed to receive the circumferential edge of the reflector 10, the edge of said reflector 10 in one case as illustra-ted in Fig. 1 of the drawings, being sprung into and snugly fitting the recess 16, and in the other case, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the edge of said reflector being sprung over and snugly fitting the projection 17. This recess 16 or the projection 17, provides means formed 1n the lens 9 to prevent the reflector 10 from touching the casing, thereby insulating'the lamp terminals one fromthe other, untilA it is desired to complete the circuit therethrough.

When the lamp is not in operation, the contact device for establishing connection between'the batteries and the lamp, is in the position-illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. When it is desired to operate the lamp, the contact device is pushed in the other direction to the position shown 1n Fig. 3, when the circuit of the lamp is completed, as follows: from the terminal. of the lamp 14, pole 15 of the batteries, through the batteries here connected in series to the lower pole of the lower cell 2 which is exposed and engages the spring 4, through the spring 4, through the casing 1, the movable member 18, the end 19 of the movable member 18, the reflector 10, the lamp socket 11, the base part 13 of the lamp, through the filament of the lamp and to the other tei'- minal 14 of the lamp, completing the circuit. cuit as long as desired, the current being prevented from shunting through the reflector and casing by reason of the lens 9 which is provided with means on its inner face, designed to be'engaged by the edge of the reflector, and insulating the edge of the reflector from the casing, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. No part of the reflector touches, or through careless manipulation of the device or constant use thereof, can be made to touch the casing, so that the lens provided with the described means, is sufiicient to insulate the lamp terminals one from the other, until it is desired to complete the circuit therethrough. It will be seen that there is no other insulation employed to accomplish this object, and for that reason, I desire to claim the lens broadly.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the details of the construction of the parts of the device, without departing from the scope of my present invention. Hence I do not limit my invention to the 'exact details of construction of the various parts thereof.

I claim:

1. In a flash light device of the class described, the combination of a casing, batteries and a lamp therein, a contact device for establishing kelectrical connections between said batteries and said lamp, a planoconveX lens, the plane side of said lens hav-l ing a projecting portion to secure a reflector to the lens and hold it circumferentially free within said casing, and insulating the reflector from the casing.

2. In a flash light device of the class described, the combination-of a casing, batteries and a lamp therein, a contact device for establishing electrical connections between said batteries and saidlamp, a planoconveX lens, the plane side of said lens having a circular integral stepped portion to receive and position a reflector circumferentially spaced within said casing and insulating the reflector from the casing.

This specificationJ signed and witnessed this 11th day of February, 1915.

PAUL o. sMALLEY.

Witnesses:

FREDK C.`F1soHER, CLrFFoiD A. ALLisToN.

The lamp is operated over this cir- 

